Chapter 4 – Sirius Black Foiled
Rhia surged with determination when she entered her first class the next day. Charms started as usual with Professor Flitwick showing the class a new charm and awarding points to those students that answered his questions correctly. "Now can anyone tell me the origin of this charm?" He was delighted when Rhia raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Bishop," he called giddily, and awarded her ten points for Ravenclaw when she gave him the correct answer before continuing with the lesson.
Rhia sat quietly at the back with a small smile on her face. Never before had she raised her hand during class, even though she was the top student for her year. Professor Flitwick, as her Head of House, had particularly wanted her to volunteer her opinion. It was obvious how excited he was that she finally had. He wore a large grin.
On her second attempt, she had mastered the charm and sat back to watch her fellow students. Her eyes caught someone else's when they wandered the crowd. The eyes were glaring at her, and they belonged to Sirius Black. She glared in return, barely noticing as one of Black's friends turned and looked at the two curiously. But, when Rhia smirked deviously, both Black and his friend were confused.
After class, Rhia made her way to the Great Hall for lunch and spotted a girl she recognized at the Hufflepuff table. Her name was Monica Finch and she just so happened to be dating Sirius Black at the current moment.
Rhia approached her. "Hi," she said, smiling. "Monica Finch, right?"
The girl nodded.
"Can I talk to you? You might prefer it to be in private."
"Sure."
The two walked over to the side of the Hall away from prying eyes.
"It's my duty," began Rhia, "as a prefect to check the halls after dark for students. Anyway, you might want to ask your boyfriend why he was up on the Astronomy tower with Ellen Midgen around midnight last night."
Just as she finished, Black approached and kissed Monica Finch on the cheek, only to be pushed away by his wide-eyed girlfriend. "What's wrong?" he asked innocently.
"What's wrong?!" screamed Finch before slapping him hard across the face.
Black glanced at Rhia, and she smirked. With a proud smile on her face, she returned to her dinner. When the screaming finally ended, it was clear that the relationship would not be mended. Black stormed over to the Ravenclaw table and stood before her. "We're going to need to talk some time, Bishop," he spat before exiting the Great Hall.
Rhia was unprovoked by his statement. She doubted much would come of it. But she w as extremely startled when Monica Finch came and sat across from her. Talking to an annoyed, popular ditz was not what she had been hoping for. "Hi?" she said uncertainly.
"Thank you."
"Um, you're welcome?"
"You didn't have to tell me. Why did you?"
"Well," Rhia said, gaining confidence the longer she spoke, "taking points didn't seem to affect him. Besides, if he's going to snog a sixth year he's not even going with, he doesn't deserve you."
"I'm flattered," said Finch, smiling.
"You're a lot nicer than I thought you were," she noted.
"Yeah, we've never really been on speaking terms before."
Rhia nodded. "So no more Sirius Black?"
"No more," Finch sighed. "And I must admit that it's quite a relief. Girls glaring at me whenever we walked together. I got some seriously threatening letters from a couple girls. Sirius seemed to find it all amusing that he was so popular with the ladies—so popular they would fight over him."
"What a berk," snapped Rhia. "I hate him. He has no manners and very little common sense."
Finch laughed. "We have something in common then. I hate him too." After clearing her throat, she continued, placing her hand out over the table. "I'm Monica Finch."
"Rhiannon Bishop," she replied, shaking her hand. "Call me Rhia please."
"Lovely to meet you properly, Rhia."
"And the same to you, Monica."
Both girls were smiling.
"You know," Rhia said after pushing away her plate of food, "we have Transfiguration together next. Care to walk together?"
"Sounds splendid."
They got up and made their way toward the Transfiguration room.
